Negros First Animal Hub yet to be utilized

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator, Dr. Lucille Gelvolea, yesterday clarifies the provincial government has yet to utilize the Negros First Animal Hub for activities pertaining to the ongoing Panaad sa Negros Festival.

She explained the Provincial Accounting Office has to review the building’s “status.”

“The accounting office reviews if it [can] already be booked as ‘Capitol property,’” Gelvolea stated.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. confirmed the provincial government will take possession of the facility, which is located on the grounds of the Panaad Park and Stadium.

“I have already issued a memorandum for the takeover,” he stated.

The governor added, the provincial government will be allocating a budget for the completion of the building.

Last year, when the animal hub was first revealed to the public, he said, since the land within the Panaad Park and Stadium grounds is government property, the provincial government would claim the structure as theirs.

In terms of the intended allocation, Gelvolea said the provincial government still has to assess how much will be needed to finish the project.

The facility was discovered in March 2018 with Eva Reso taking responsibility for constructing the building despite not securing any permits from the provincial government.

The province responded by suspending the project, which was projected to cost P10 million./DGB, WDJ